


A Gift That Keeps Giving

by NothingSerious



Series: On Friendship, Love And Other Catastrophes [2]
Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Best Friends, Blue and Ronan are best friends, F/M, Friendship, M/M, Post-Blue Lily Lily Blue, Pre-The Raven King, Presents and the consequences, successful communication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-06-02 18:33:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6577813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NothingSerious/pseuds/NothingSerious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened to the photo Helen took of Adam?<br/>Nothing untoward, that's for sure, a promise is a promise.<br/>Nevertheless, Adam learns what it means to be loved by Ronan Lynch.<br/>A sequel to A Pleasant Wedding.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Gift That Keeps Giving

**Author's Note:**

> This ficlet makes only sense after reading A Pleasant Wedding.

"RONAN!"

Adam's angry yell startles the others to the bones where they sit by the couch eating pizza. Gansey freezes mid-chewing and Blue holds a slice in the air, ready to take a bite.

"What have you done?" Blue asks and looks at a worried, wide-eyed Ronan.

Ronan schools his face quickly to something more vicious. But too late. The others have seen his face and are worried now, too. Blue puts the slice back into the box and gets up.

 

They all find Adam standing in Ronan's room glaring at the wall next to the door. They follow his line of sight and stop short.

"That is- My goodness." Gansey says.

"Oh my," says Noah.

Blue tilts her head and regards the sight before her with an enormous amount of professionalism.

"Wow," she says finally. "You're in so much trouble, I could already feel really sorry for you if it wouldn't be your own fault." She looks up at Ronan who worries his bottom lip and looks sheepishly at Adam. "On the other hand I really admire your bravery and am so proud of you that I have goosebumps. Well done, Ronan." She holds out her right hand. It takes Ronan a second then he bumps his hand against hers, the back of their hands sliding against each other, then the palms, finishing with a hooking together of their thumbs.

"Thanks, maggot."

Gansey frowns at them.

"Since when do you two have your own handshake?" Gansey asks, curious.

Blue and Ronan look at each other and then shrug simultaneously.

"Smooth," Noah states levelly.

"That's what we are," replies Blue with a grin. Noah grins back.

Neither of the four have realised Adam's glare.

"Can we please get back to the problem at hand?" he scolds and holds both palms up, presenting said problem: The photo that Helen took of him sleeping hangs now at the wall, enlarged to the respectable size for royal portraits.

"Yes, of course, Adam, sorry." Gansey straightens his glasses on his nose. No-one dares to say something or even look at Adam.

Adam clears his throat.

"All right. First things first. When did you put that up? When we left this morning it wasn't there."

"When you were in school." Ronan shrugs.

"But you left with us!"

"I did. And came back." Gansey's head snaps up at that.

"Ronan! Stop skipping school! he scolds Ronan.

"Stop nagging, mom!" Ronan snaps at him.

"CAN WE PLEASE GET BACK TO THE PROBLEM AT HAND?" Adam yells and the others jump. All eyes are on him. He clears his throat and looks at the floor, self-consciously rubbing his neck. He doesn't say sorry but he doesn't need to. The others know anyway. He sighs and then he motions to Ronan to explain further.

"I got a text from the printers and went to pick it up. Then I came here and- " Ronan stops and points with his hand at the wall, finishing his sentence with this gesture.

"Take it down." Adam crosses his arms before his chest.

"No." Ronan straightens to his full height. Adam mimics this and straightens, too.

"Ronan!" he warns.

"No." But Ronan stays unfazed and stubborn.

"RONAN!" It's not a yell but close. Adam exasperation is palpable for the others. Blue feels for him and wants to hold his hand. But she keeps her distance.

"Give me one good reason, why!" Ronan's voice is a bark, but not loud. Blue and Gansey look at him wondering. When did he stop being loud?

"Because I feel uncomfortable? Humiliated?" barks Adam back.

This surprises Ronan. "Humiliated? How?" he asks calmly, as if this had been the volume level of their conversation the whole time.

"It's- I- It's so big!" Adam widens his arms to underline his statement, equally lowering his voice.

"Yeah, of course. That's how I wanted it." Ronan has still problems to understand the relation between the size and Adam's feeling of being humiliated.

"I can count your freckles, Adam," Noah quips but Blues shushes him. They have silent discussion about it behind Ronan and Adam.

"But why?" Adam asks him then.

"You really have to ask that?" Ronan's voice rises at least two octaves. Blue would have laughed at that but she doesn't dare. She knows by now when it's the right time to tease Ronan.

Ronan and Adam stare at each other. Adam crams his hands in his pockets and sighs, Ronan crosses his arms and looks at Adam. He waits for him to explain. Ronan is nothing if not patient when it comes to Adam Parrish.

Blue senses the heaviness of the situation and pulls Gansey and Noah from the room. Gansey looks anxiously at Blue.

 _Are they able to solve the problem?_ He asks with his eyes.

Blue rolls her's and and nods. _Of course!_ She emphasises this with a gesture of her hands, her fingers and thumbs snapping together, mimicking talking.

Gansey sighs and throws a last concerned look at them before he closes the door behind him.

 

Ronan is still looking at Adam while Adam shuffles with his feet, head bowed. Then he scuffles towards Ronan until his head meets Ronan's chest. He shoves his head into the crook between Ronan's shoulder and his head.

"Please. Take it down," he whispers against Ronan's neck.

Adam's lips and his hair tickle Ronan. He presses his lips to Adam's ear.

"Tell me why," he says and leaves a kiss on Adam's skin.

"It's so large." Every words kisses Ronan's neck. His breath ghosts over Ronan's skin and makes him shiver. Ronan pushes his nose into Adam's hair and smells his own shampoo he so rarely needs but never stopped buying. He loves that Adam feels comfortable enough to use it. It makes him wonder even more why Adam has now a problem with the photo.

"But you like it. You said it's wonderful. I think it's beautiful. And even though I wasn't the one who took it, I'm more than proud to show it off." His nose wandered along Adam's head and the final words he hushed against Adam's good ear, finishing it with a kiss and a nibble. Adam squirms against him.

"Yes. I like it. And it is still a wonderful picture. And I like the idea of you looking at it. But this is just too much." He sighs. "I'm not that vain."

He rest his head on Ronan's shoulder and bites and licks softly along Ronan's neck. Ronan giggles.

"You might not be that vain. But I am." Ronan uncrosses his arms and shoves a hand into Adam's hair at his nape, curling strands around his fingers.

"Huh?"

"As I said - I want to show off."

Adam sighs and leans into Ronan's hand. Ronan takes the hint and massages his neck. Adam moans softly.

"Could we sleep at mine tonight? I don't think I'm able to relax, with me staring down at me like that."

Ronan snorts. "You have your eyes closed - in both situations."

"Yeah, well-"

Ronan rubs Adam's neck and his shoulders, feels the tension leave his body as Adam's head rests on his shoulder again.

"Let me think about it. Maybe I get used to the idea," Adam murmurs into Ronan's shirt.

Ronan lifts Adam's head to kiss him properly. It's not an admission for him to keep up the picture, Ronan knows that, but it's also not a final decision to take it down, either. Adam will really need a bit time to mull it over, but as always Ronan is willing to wait for him.

 

***

 

"Ah crap."

"Huh? What?"

Adam looks up from his homework and watches Ronan rummaging in the laundry basket of goodies from Helen.

"Helen. Puts microwave popcorn in here."

"Yeah. So?"

"You don't have a microwave?"

"Oh. That's true," he says and goes back to his homework.

Ronan stares at the box in his hands. He huffs. He puts it down and grabs his car keys and jacket.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Out. Buying a microwave."

"Ronan."

"What?"

"You can't just go out to buy a microwave."

"How else does one do it, then?"

"I don't know. But I don't need a microwave."

"What are you talking about? _I_ want popcorn. _I_ have the popcorn but no microwave. Therefore _I_ need a microwave. Causa finalis."

Adam rubs his forehead. "I'm not sure Aristotle's theory is a good argument in that case, but all right, let's use logic and reason. It's 11:30. We're going to sleep in the next minutes. Therefore you're not going to eat popcorn. Consequently, you don't need a microwave now."

"But-" Ronan cannot finish his sentence.

"No _but_." Adam lifts his index and points it at Ronan. "Go, brush your teeth. I'll be with you in seconds."

"Fine." Ronan acquiesces in Adam's arguments. "But when I dream up a microwave it's your fault."

"Then I'm going to have some words with Cabeswater for spoiling you rotten."

Ronan snorts but complies, drops keys and jacket where he stands and walks into the bathroom.

Adam looks down at his homework. He frowns. He's finished the last bit without noticing. He shrugs. Well then, and follows Ronan into the bathroom with a wicked thought on his mind.

 

***

 

Ronan wakes to a movement on the mattress.

"Czerny," he croaks. "What did we agree on being creepy?"

"I don't know. I didn't listen."

Ronan snorts and buries his face in his pillow. He lies on his stomach on his bed in Monmouth Manufacturing, taking a mid-afternoon nap.

"I have a solution for your problem," Noah says and pushes Ronan's phone towards him.

"I don't have a problem," Ronan mumbles into his pillow.

"Then see it as an argument to convince Adam to let you keep up the picture."

"What are you talking about?" Ronan pushes himself on his elbows and peers at Noah. But Noah doesn't reply, just pushes Ronan's phone further towards him.

Ronan groans, grabs it and thumbs it open. He frowns at the display, then at Noah.

Noah lifts his eyebrows, smirks and Ronan understands. He grins.

"All right. You have a free pass for being creepy for one week."

"Aww, I think I deserve at least two!" Noah plops down next to Ronan and looks at him, Noah seemingly more alive than ever. Ronan ponders if it has something to do with positive energy and making other people happy. Ronan decides to make _happiness_ a priority on his to-do-list.

"Fine. Whatever." Ronan stares at his phone. Then he smiles. "Thanks, Noah."

 

***

 

Gansey bangs the door to Monmouth Manufacturing open.

"I really thought you would use your positive influence on Ronan better. His skipping school is going to be a massive problem."

"Gansey. You know that we're talking about Ronan Lynch, right? Not even God and Jesus combined could exert their influence on him when it comes to school! What makes you think I could?"

"Because-!" But Gansey doesn't finish his sentence. All he does is a wide gesture with his hands as if this would explain everything.

Adam wants to reply but is interrupted by a hellish and mind-numbing noise.

"OH MY GOD!" shouts Gansey over the noise. "I TAKE IT BACK. YOU'RE NOT GOOD FOR HIM. HIS TASTE IN MUSIC IS DETERIORATING!"

The noise stops.

"Gansey, don't be stupid. That's not music. That's the sound of a drill," Adam says quickly before the noise commences.

"WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING!?" yells Gansey.

"HOW WOULD I KNOW, REALLY!?" Adam is exasperated. When being in a relationship means that you have a responsibility for the doings of your significant other he desperately wants a re-negotiation of the terms. He didn't agree to this.

The drilling stops altogether and Adam and Gansey dare to enter Ronan's room.

"A second, please!" calls Ronan when they open the door just an inch.

"Please?" Gansey's bewilderment is hilarious. Adam just shrugs and pretends ignorance. He's heard Ronan saying please rather often the last weeks, if only in slightly different situations. But he's not going to tell Gansey this. Some things are absolutely not meant for sharing. Adam's ears feel suddenly very hot.

So Adam and Gansey wait in front of Ronan's room. Gansey pokes at the paint of the doorframe whilst Adam finds his shoes more than just interesting right now.

"All right! Come in!" shouts Ronan through the door.

Gansey lifts his eyebrows and opens it.

Ronan stands in the middle of his room and Noah sits on the bed. Both grin devilish.

"Oh god," Gansey says and Adam agrees. This can only mean pretty serious business. They stop at the door and peek anxiously around. Gansey even checks the door for hidden traps.

"Oh for the love- It's nothing bad. Come in, you pillocks!" Ronan waves at them.

Gansey and Adam share a look.

_You first._

_It's your boyfriend! You first!_

Adam rolls his eyes and walks into the room. So far nothing suspicious to see. Ronan gets impatient, grabs Adam by the shoulder and turns him to the wall by the door.

Adam gasps.

Gansey imitates the sound of a deflating balloon.

"That is-"

"Wow."

Where Adam and Gansey stare at the wall, Noah and Ronan look at it with a pride that seeks its combatant.

The apartment door bangs open again.

"Where are you all?!" shouts Blue from the living room.

"In Ronan's room," singsongs Noah.

"God, I hope you all are decent."

Ronan snorts and Noah giggles. Adam and Gansey are still silently staring the wall.

"What are you- wow! Lynch, you devil!" Blue jumps at Ronan and they do their handshake. "This is amazing!"

"Thanks, maggot."

"Wow. Who took them this time?"

"Noah's the artist. With my phone."

"Your phone? Noah, how?"

"A stylus helps."

"Wow. I'm impressed! We should buy you a camera!"

"Why? Do you want a picture of you and Gansey?"

"Wha- Of course!"

She looks at Gansey. He stopped staring at the wall a while ago and followed the conversation. At Blues excitement regarding a picture of her with him he started to blush. Now he smiles fondly at her and she at him.

"So, Adam," whispers Noah, "what do you think about it?"

"I- uhm-," Adam stammers. Then he drags his gaze from the pictures at the wall to Ronan. "I think I love it."

Next to the picture of sleeping Adam - the picture of a diligent, persistent young man with the beauty of a feral beast - hang now two similar pictures. All three together form a triptych. On the far right is a picture of a sleeping Ronan, lying on his stomach, arms under his pillow. He looks very angelic if it were not for his angry tattoo on his back. It's a picture of a warrior in a rare state of peace.

The middle one shows Adam and Ronan together as a knot of affection and tenderness. Ronan lies on his back with Adam tucked into his side on his chest, Adam's head resting on Ronan's shoulder. Ronan's left arm spreads over Adam's back and his fingers entwine with Adam's right where they meet below Adam's shoulder. Adam's other hand cradles Ronan's neck. Ronan's right hand holds Adam's head, fingers buried in Adam's hair at his nape.

In this picture, they hold on to each other as if the horrors of the night might come to rip them apart, to take the one from the other. This third picture of them both symbolises their relationship: Two men who found each other, fought for and with each other, refusing to let go of the other in their weakest moment and keeping themselves united come hell or high water and against all odds.

This photo is a promise.

Adam's hand seeks Ronan's and drags him towards him. Ronan complies willingly, of course, stands behind Adam and hugs him tightly to his chest with both arms around Adam's shoulders.

"Happy?" he whispers in Adam's ear. Adam nods and presses a kiss to Ronan's temple.

"Yes."

"Oh thank god," sighs Gansey and drags Noah and Blue towards him, pressing the two to his sides. Blue slings her arms around his waist and Noah rests his head on Gansey's shoulder.

All five are looking at the triptych. But then a grumbling noise disrupts the silence.

"I'm hungry," mumbles Blue.

"I have popcorn," says Ronan.

"Deal."

Blue entangles herself from Gansey grip and this brings him back to earth.

"Wait a minute. Why do you have popcorn? Have you been shopping? Did you remember to buy milk and orange juice?"

"Uhm..." Ronan tightens his hold on Adam. "Uhmmmmmmmmmm," he repeats and hides his face in the crook between Adam's neck and his shoulder. He whimpers and groans into Adam's shirt.

"Ronan?" Gansey asks worried.

Ronan whimpers again. Adam brings his arm up and pets Ronan's head.

"There, there," he says.

"Huh? What's wrong with him? Did I say something? Ronan, just tell me, did you buy milk and orange juice?"

Ronan's moaning and whimpering gets worse.

"Shhhhhhhhhh," comforts Adam giggling, "All is fine, it's all right..."

Gansey looks around his friends.

Blue, observant as ever, rolls her eyes, grabs Gansey by the hand and drags him from the room.

"I don't understand, what happened? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Gansey, we two are going to the supermarket. See it as a date!"

"What? Now? If Ronan has forgotten-"

"Gansey, you have broken Ronan."

"What?"

"Please, Gansey, stop asking. There's no way that you'll receive a satisfactory answer to your questioning."

"But, Jane-"

They hear the door slam but Ronan stays immovable and clings to Adam like a sad sloth.

Noah grabs Ronan's phone and snaps a pictures of them, obviously very satisfied with his new job. Adam grins at Noah and presses another kiss on Ronan's temple while petting his shorn head. The whimpering subsides slowly.

"You know, Ronan, your life would be considerably easier if you'd finally learn to lie," says Noah matter-of-factly.

It's a testimony of Ronan's agony that he can't find the energy to flip Noah off.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Of course I had an idea what happened to the picture. How could I not?


End file.
